Ancient Greek Tragedy Research Articles

The Peculiarities of the Formation of Russian Serious Opera

Serious opera in Russia began its formation long before the works of M. I. Glinka, and although it is represented by few samples, it reveals rather specifi c features in its genre and expressive means. The ideas that fed it in the 18th century were widely discussed in the literary and musical sphere, and they were also largely shared by Empress Catherine II, who was one of the authors of musical and theatrical projects at the end of the century. From the works of Italian composers, who largely focused on the genre of the Italian opera seria, but created music based on the Russian text, serious opera moved on to melodrama with choruses, focused on the example of ancient Greek tragedy. This made the line of succession of Russian and Greek culture especially clear, which was important both in the light of classicist aesthetics and in the context of Catherine II’s “Greek project”.

Ancient Greek Ideas about the Pelasgians in the Archaic and Classical Periods

This article uses ancient Greek epic poetry, tragedy, and lyrics to describe how the Greeks treated the Pelasgians in the Archaic and Classical periods and provides a glimpse into the role assigned to them by the Hellenic authors. The evolution of the ancient Greeks’ ideas about the Pelasgians in the Archaic and Classical periods is traced. The place of the ethnonym of the Pelasgians in ancient Greek culture is outlined. The references to the Pelasgians in epic literature are examined. The image of the Pelasgians in tragedy and lyrics is reconstructed. The method of comparative analysis was employed: a thorough review of epic poetry, tragedy, and lyrics allowed for a comparison of the specifics of how the Pelasgians were portrayed. Hypotheses are proposed for the differences in the portrayal of the Pelasgians. Homer’s influence on subsequent works is not evident. The study’s findings provide new perspectives on historiography and resolve the longstanding disputes surrounding the study of the Pelasgians.

Defining peripeteia. The theoretical disentanglement of Möbius Strip

This article draws from the Japanese phenomenological approach (Kyoto School, particularly Kitaro Nishida and Watsuji Tetsurō) concerning the embodied experience of time-space. It unravels crucial concepts behind Möbius Strip, a mixed-media performance along the way with a particular focus on peripeteia. Having been triggered by the current warfare in Ukraine, Möbius Strip deals with the phenomenon of war. The aim of this article is to disentangle the meaning of peripeteia as a term in a concrete fashion by identifying its role and impact in the dramaturgy of Möbius Strip. The term is further circumscribed under a comparative point of view, which narrates peripeteia as a term that is primarily encountered in Ancient Greek tragedy and unravels its connection with cognate terms from Asian tradition.

Интертекстуальность как прием поэтики трагедии Ильгиза Зайниева «Мадина»

The aim of the study is to identify intertextual connections and artistic-poetic features in the tragedy “Madina” by the Tatar playwright Ilgiz Zainiev. The paper examines the dialogue between the tragedy “Madina” and the ancient Greek tragedy “Medea” by Euripides at the level of images and plot. Examples from the history of Turkic-Tatar literature related to antiquity are given. The influence of the style of the English classic W. Shakespeare on I. Zainiev’s text is revealed. The originality of the poetics and style of the tragedy “Madina” is shown. The study is novel in that it is the first to consider a work of modern Tatar drama in connection with an ancient model, to reveal the role of the phenomenon of intertextuality in I. Zainiev’s tragedy as a way of determining the inclusion of the work in a broad universal context and contributing to the universalisation of the depiction. As a result, it has been proved that the moral-historical and cultural-aesthetic experience of the previous era, “someone else’s word” allowed the author to identify the universal meaning of the tragedy of an individual depicted by him.

The Battle of Trapped Beasts Against the Coming Fate

Oedipus the King and Thunderstorm, two famous tragedies of fate at home and abroad, have many similarities in plot structure, core conflicts, and artistic presentation. However, they are also different in characters, cultural context, theme connotation, and value orientation. Focusing on the comparative analysis of their common concept of fate, this paper not only showcases how Cao Yu inherits and expands the connotation of fate in the ancient Greek tragedy, but also discusses the universal dilemma of human beings within the “inevitable fate” as a motif, appreciating the beauty of human nature and eternal dignity displayed by their fight against fate.

The symbolism of the mask in the theatrical art of the West and East

The article examines the ancient and unique culture of the mask, analyzes the features of its perception, understanding and interpretation in different theatrical traditions of the West and East (ancient Greek tragedy, comedy dell'arte, Chinese no-si theater, Peking opera, etc.). Particular attention is paid to how the mask is interpreted and used, based on tradition, to create and enhance stage effects and deepen meaningful symbolism in modern performances. The relevance of this work lies in the typology and classification of common and distinctive characteristics of similar, but at the same time unique artifacts of various theatrical cultures of the East and West on the example of the use of masks in productions in the past and present. Addressing this topic can help to establish intercultural ties, facilitate intercultural communication and reduce the degree of civilizational contradictions in a multipolar world. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the results of processing the original selection of case studies, scientific publications and literary sources. The purpose of the study is to search for the features of the perception and understanding of masks in various theatrical systems. To achieve this attitude, the history of masks in different countries, their semantics are analyzed, in particular, the ancient Chinese thermal culture and the ancient Greek theater, as well as the Italian comedy dell'arte are compared. In conclusion, we note that in different theatrical systems, the mask has unique symbols and uses. Thus, it reveals the complex and contradictory human nature, reveals the unknown and people's fear of reality, embodies and expresses emotions, provides the rhythm and sharpness of the development of the drama, deepens the meaning of ongoing events.

Ghostly Reception and Translation ad spiritum: The Case of Nicholas Grimald’s Archipropheta (1548)

When considering the landscape of drama and theatre performance in the sixteenth century in terms of classical reception, original plays written in Latin have not been accorded full attention. The many hundreds of Latin plays written and performed in England alone in this century were potentially vital locations for experimentation and for the reception not only of obvious Roman models but also of ancient Greek plays. In this article, one example, the biblical Latin drama Archipropheta by the scholar, poet, and playwright Nicholas Grimald (1519–1562), is examined to show how it is haunted by ancient Greek tragedy. This haunting speaks to the anti-chronological way in which reception of this kind might have worked, with audiences’ first encounters with Greek tragedy as such being shaped by the receptions of Greek tragedy they had already witnessed in original Latin plays such as this.

The Reception of Greek Tragedies in Eugen O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night

A Long Day's Journey into Night occupies a prominent place in Eugene O'Neill's work because it is full of autobiographical elements. In addition to biographical episodes, the play is rich in literary parallels. generally speaking, O'Neill’s plays are heavily influenced by ancient Greek tragedies. The conflict/s between the main characters as well as protagonists’ struggle with their own selves and the mistakes of the past are the main point in this play. The myth of the son who fights against his father as embodied in the play is associated with the plot of  Sophocles’  Oedipus Rex. Sons see their own mistakes from their birth, but their every step against destiny is also a great tragedy. Euripides’ characters are also reinterpreted in this play. Medea and Meri suffer from the same misfortunes. Meri regrets her past decisions, mourns her lost child and considers herself destroyed as a woman. O Neill’s works are full of allusions to ancient Greek tragedies because modern literature is a kind of rereading and rearranging the great cultural artefacts and/or texts of the past.

The Tragedy of Fate in Oedipus the King

Among the tragedies of ancient Greece, Oedipus Rex is a work well worth exploring in depth. The study of the problem of fate and tragedy in work has been a topic of interest so far. This article focuses on the tragic destiny of Oedipus, manifested in two different forms: the "oracle" and the "eye". The oracle drives the development of the story, leading Oedipus towards a predetermined end and suggesting his ultimate fate, while the eye leads people to experience the world of light and darkness, perceive the deafening impact of fate, and grasp the essence of things with the 'eyes of the heart'. In the end, Oedipus' struggle with destiny is a failure, and he goes round and round in an unavoidable course of destiny that has already been ordained. Although the tragedy is predetermined and fate is dominated by an irresistible mysterious force, the freedom and will of the human being are not to be ignored, and human dignity is as important as fate. This sublime understanding of the tragedy of destiny renews the ancient Greeks' inherent perception of the fixed nature of fate and deepens the connotation of ancient Greek tragedy and the sublimation of its spirit.

Architectonic and Rural Space in Ancient Greek Tragedy: Examples from Aeschylus and Euripides

Architectonic and Rural Space in Ancient Greek Tragedy: Examples from Aeschylus and Euripides

A Föld tragédiája : Néhány megjegyzés az éghajlatváltozásról a kortás német nyelvű színházban

This study explores the intersection of climate change and contemporary German-speaking theatre. The paper delves into the challenges posed by climate change and species extinction, emphasizing the need for presenting facts and fostering commitment. Drawing parallels to ancient Greek tragedies, the author examines the dramaturgical potential of political theatre to address the "tragedy of the earth" and instigate essential changes. The study covers various aspects, including the presentation of scientific facts and scenarios, the role of reason and ethics in theatre, the portrayal of Gaia (Earth) on stage, and the call for action in the tradition of Brecht and contemporary theatre. The exploration extends to the use of masks, the evolving nature of postdramatic and post-human theatre, and the challenge of representing nature and Gaia within traditional dramatic forms. The author concludes by discussing the ongoing search for an adequate theatrical form to address the tragedy of climate change and species extinction, emphasizing the role of drama and theatre in helping humanity navigate these challenges.

Aristoteles’in Poetika’sı Işığında Sofokles’in Filoktetes Tragedyası

Aristoteles etik, estetik ve politika üzerine olan görüşlerinin yanında “Poetika” isimli eserinde tragedya karakterlerinin özgür iradeleri, ahlaki değerleri ve eylemsel tercihlerini inceleyerek bir tragedya biçimi tartışmaktadır. Antik Yunan tragedyalarının günümüz tiyatrosunun yapı taşını oluşturan eylem birliği Aristoteles’in fikirlerinde tezahür etmektedir. Aristoteles’ten neredeyse bir yüzyıl önce yaşamış, milattan önce beşinci yüzyılın en etkili tragedya yazarı olan Sofokles, Poetika’da tartışılan tragedya biçiminin karşılığını veren eserler üretmiştir. Öyle ki çağın tiyatro şenliklerinde birçok kez birincilik alması buna kanıt olarak gösterilebilir. Sofokles’in bilinen son eseri olan ve yönetmenliğini yaparak sahneye koyduğu “Filoktetes” tragedyası çeşitli otoritelerce kendisinin en iyi dokunmuş eseri olarak nitelendirilmektedir. Bu çalışmada, Aristoteles’in poetikasındaki temel kavramlar incelenecek ve Sofokles’in Filoktetes eserindeki karşılıklarının izi sürülecektir. Dolayısıyla Filoktetes’in yazgısı, iradesi ve ahlakı arasındaki diyalektik irdelenecek olup düşünsel açıdan okuyucuya katkı sunmak amaçlanmaktadır.

A Foretold Tragic Fate. Plutarch’s Literary Resources in the Presentation of the scene about the Death of Cleitus by Alexander (Plu., Alex. 50.1-6)

Despite his Platonic distrust of the didactic value of poetry, including the theater, Plutarch, as an accomplished biographer of characters whose life was full of dramatic situations, applies to their stories a deep-rooted knowledge of the literary strategies of Greek drama. No exception is the anecdote about the death of Cleitus by Alexander. Its plot begins with the king’s friendship with his general, a moment plagued with the ingredients that ancient Greek tragedy reserves for its heroes: Fortune and the fulfillment of destiny, inescapable for them, despite their knowledge of the future, as well as the pride of the hero, confident in the strength of his ideals; and, finally, the tragic irony with which the playwright seems to offer a happy ending, which makes the outcome harder. Plutarch always intervenes with great creative capacity in the presentation of these situations, sometimes transmitted by other sources. And he does it also when he introduces the episode that now concerns me, putting into play all the resources of his style. He thus designs a perfect scenario for the facts, now the discussion between Cleitus and Alejander and the death of the first by the second, adorned with religious references (omens, fortune tellers, unconsummated sacrifices, dreams, etc.) and whose main power is the destiny that, as in a tragedy, will be inescapable for the protagonist (Alexander) and for his antagonist and friend (Cleitus).

Time, grief, and hope on film

Time, grief, and hope on film

Reception of the values of the Aeschylus drama and mnemonic imprints by ancient tragedy spectators.

Background: Ancient Greek tragedy remains today a special dramatic genre that expresses the concept of the classic through time, perhaps better than any other form of art and culture, representing, as a theatrical expression, the vision of the conception and expression of values of a particular era. In this context, the purpose of the present research is to study the humanitarian values of European culture, as they are expressed in ancient Greek drama, and to highlight the way in which these values are projected through modern drama and are impressed on the spectators. Methods: To achieve this goal, 105 spectators watched the tragedy of Aeschylus 'Seven against Thebes' directed by Cesaris Grauzinis and answered, both immediately after watching the performance and six months later, a questionnaire, in order to record their opinions about the theatre performance they had attended. Results: According to the findings of the comparative analyses, it emerged that the messages and values governing the work remain unchanged for its viewers over time. The memory is based on original audio-visual elements and directorial findings, confirming that it preserves the messages of the symbolism of the performance as well as the channels through which they were conveyed to the audience. Conclusions: The correspondences between the past and the present, as well as the contrasts on stage, contributed to the reproduction of the fundamental moral values that the dramatic work brought, highlighting the work and messages of Aeschylus.

Antigone [not quite/quiet]: adaptation, the anarchive and afterness

This article focuses, from an insider perspective, on a contemporary South African production that was a response to Sophocles’ Antigone, performed at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town in 2019. The production was titled: Antigone (not quite/quiet) and formed part of the Reimagining Tragedy in Africa and the Global South (ReTAGS) research project. The author is credited as the director of the production. The article provides a detailed discussion of the production dramaturgy and the strategy of adaptation used, and argues that this strategy is different from previous adaptations of ancient Greek tragedy that the author has produced since the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994. The article relates this strategy of adaptation to the anarchive following Jacques Derrida. It then goes on to discuss the production in relation to ideas of afterness and metamorphosis with reference to Ovid and Franz Kafka.

Черты классической греческой трагедии в пьесе Э. Олби «Коза, или Кто такая Сильвия»

The article is devoted to studying the features of the classical ancient Greek tragedy in the play “The Goat, or Who is Sylvia” by Edward Albee, which received the prestigious Tony Award. Despite the outrageous plot and purely avant-garde stylistic devices, the play has a number of characteristics typical of a classic tragedy. The aim of the study is to find and characterize the features of the ancient Greek tragedy in the play “The Goat, or Who is Sylvia” by the American playwright E. Albee. The article focuses on the connection between the poetics of the dramaturg and the principles of Aristotle’s tragedy composition. Attention is also drawn to the development of the theme of loneliness and rejection by society, which is the leitmotif of playwright’s creative work. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the approach to the study of the play “The Goat, or Who is Sylvia” precisely from the point of view of its connection with classical ancient Greek dramaturgy; themes of sacrifice and kinship, which are fundamental in the ancient Greek tragedy. As a result, the play “The Goat, or Who is Sylvia” reveals the features that connect the play with the classical ancient Greek tragedy, the influence of Aristotle’s “Poetics” on the play by the representative of the American theatre of the absurd E. Albee; and shows how the themes of sacrifice and kinship develop in the play by the American playwright.

Nietzsche’s Ariadne: On Asses’s Ears in Botticelli/Dürer – and Poussin’s Bacchanale

Abstract In what follows I raise the question of Ariadne and Dionysus for Nietzsche, including the relative size of Ariadne’s ears, as Dionysus observes at the close of “Ariadne’s Lament” [Klage der Ariadne]. Nietzsche’s references to ears invoke not only Nietzsche’s “selective” concern with having the right ears (both to hear what he says and with respect to his discovery regarding ancient Greek tragedy: hearing with one’s eyes, that is the relation of ancient Greek music in the word) but also the question of myth and genealogical context. Reading through myth is key not only in terms of the textual, lyric tradition but also painting and sculpture, including sarcophagi in antiquity. It makes all the difference to ask, as Karl Kerényi cites Nietzsche as asking: Wer weiß …was Ariadne ist? And not less: who was she to Dionysus? To this extent, Nietzsche’s concern with ears, small and long, is less incidental or furry fetish than hermeneutic attunement.

Sophocles’ Philoctetes and Moral Injury in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Strong emotional responses of health-care professionals to the unusual stress of providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic may be consistent with the experience of moral injury. This term, originally used to explain the feelings of guilt, shame, and righteous anger resulting from trauma experienced by US soldiers who felt betrayed by their leaders in combat, has recently been applied to the experiences of health-care workers who know the right thing to do but lack the autonomy, latitude, or authority to do it.. Ancient Greek tragedy, which often communicates stories about moral challenges, can provide a fruitful context for communicating about this kind of traumatic experience. Sophocles’ Philoctetes is particularly relevant for health care since it describes the psychological pain of a would-be caregiver who is ordered by a superior to deny care to someone suffering with chronic pain, providing a clear example of betrayal through failed leadership and lack of authority to do the right thing. A more detailed reading of Sophocles’ Philoctetes demonstrates that it also describes the kind of moral distress that results from being forced to respond to an unsolvable ethical dilemma when there is no clear right thing to do or when doing the right thing requires violating personal moral values.

Рецепция античного мифа об Атридах в кинофильме Вуди Аллена «Мечта Кассандры»

Modern Western artistic culture receives the Antiquity as the ancient myth. The myth of the Atreides enjoys an increased attention of playwrights in Western Europe and the United States, since it raises the universal issues of crime and punishment, awareness of guilt and assertion of truth. This article focuses on the reception of the Atreides myth in Woody Allen’s Cassandra ’s Dream. The article analyses the cultural dialogue between Antiquity and Modernity: the director has transferred the ancient plot to modern reality and endowed the Americans with the features of ancient heroes. The plot of the film develops around a murder committed by the brothers for financial gain. It correlates with the murder of Agamemnon as well as his wife and Aegisthus. Ian’s determination is reminiscent of Elektra’s behavior: he incites his brother to commit a crime and feels no repentance after the murder has occurred. Like Euripides’s Orestes, the other brother, Terry, cannot calm down after the crime, saying that he repents and wants to open himself to the police in order to suffer a well-deserved punishment. In the conflict between the brothers, killing a brother is the only way out of the situation, although Ian says that he feels the same “strange vision”: he must kill again. While ancient heroes act under the will of gods, which gives the impression of conscious and controlled actions, modern heroes are driven by circumstances. While heroes of ancient literature take murders for granted, as a legitimate revenge or even a feat, modern artistic culture focuses on the ethical side of the bloodshed. A modern human is dominated by a new Christian morality, which though oftentimes unrealized, affects human desires and functions as a source of ethical reflections. The story of the heroes, consisting of a chain of uncontrollable events, would seem to confirm the unpredictability of life and the total dependence of people on circumstances. Fatalism is an integral part of the ancient worldview: it is not by chance that “Fate” is personified and becomes a separate character in ancient Greek tragedy. However, modern culture affirms human independence and freedom, which Terry discoveres at a moment of spiritual enlightenment after committing a crime, followed by utter repentance. The finale of the film is strikingly different from the ancient interpretations of the myth of the Atreides: the killer-heroes die. The reception of antiquity in American culture of the 21st century is a reflection on what determines the behavior of a modern person in a critical situation, similar to that in ancient mythology, as well as what is the modern attitude of a criminal to their crime. Appealing to the ancient myth, Woody Allen proves that Christian morality allows making the right, “human” decision even in the most difficult circumstances. At the same time, he shows the duality of modern culture: the imposed ideals of mass culture beguile a morally developed person, who gets illusory freedom for a lost self-identity. The author declares no conflicts of interests.